This story, originally published last week, has been updated.
INDIANAPOLIS — In a bid to complete construction projects quickly while fewer drivers are on the roads, the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to close major sections of Interstate 70 in the metro area, including in Hancock County, starting today (April 13) and lasting throughout most of the summer.
The construction will start with the closure of all lanes and ramps of eastbound I-70 from the North Split to Interstate 465 on the east side of Indianapolis. That work is scheduled to be completed on May 13. The westbound route will close on April 23 and is scheduled to reopen on May 23.
On the east side of Indianapolis and in Hancock County, eastbound I-70 from Post Road to Mt. Comfort Road will be closed from May 26 to July 3. The same stretch of I-70 westbound will be closed from Aug. 3 to Sept. 4. Crossover configurations will be built to carry traffic during the construction.
Work on I-70 between Post Road and Interstate 465 on the east side of Indianapolis will take place from April until October, but no full-time closures are planned.
More people are staying home due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, and that’s provided an opportunity for INDOT to complete planned construction in a relatively short window that otherwise would have taken place throughout the summer without as much disruption to traffic.
“Full interstate closures are being used to ensure safety for workers, reduce the overall construction time, and maximize use of taxpayer dollars,” the INDOT statement said.
The work will be completed by INDOT and partner Milestone Contractors.
Mallory Duncan, a spokeswoman for INDOT, said the decision made sense in light of the decreasing traffic the highway is seeing while social distancing guidelines are in place across the state and the country.
“We are seeing a reduction of about 40 percent of traffic volume,” she said.
According to INDOT statistics, all traffic was down 39 percent Tuesday, March 30, in comparison with an earlier “base date” of Tuesday, March 3. On the lowest date so far — Saturday, March 28 — total traffic was down 55 percent.
Light-duty vehicles, which include ordinary cars and trucks, have seen a more dramatic decrease than heavy trucks.
The decreased levels of driving are continuing around the clock, Duncan said.
“We don’t really have any peak hours anymore,” she said.
Duncan said it’s likely some of the decrease comes from people who are no longer commuting into and out of Marion County. The cancellation or rescheduling of major events, like conventions and sporting events, is also a factor.
While the construction continues, Duncan advised people who need to travel in the area to plan their route ahead of time.
The construction is part of the Next Level Roads program, which will invest $60 billion in highway construction and maintenance in Indiana over 20 years.
Hancock County engineer Gary Pool said he was expecting an increase in traffic on county roads while the highway is closed, especially on County Roads 300N and 200N.
“I’m just hoping they do it quickly,” Pool said.
Pool said the finding of a 40 percent reduction in traffic is reflected about equally in what he has seen so far on county roads. He said he wished INDOT had considered leaving some lanes of the highway open to decrease pressure on other routes, but he understood the desire to complete the construction quickly.
“I would encourage [commuters] to try to use state roads if at all possible, but I know they’re going to try to use county roads,” he said.